Rushden and Diamonds 1

Leigh RMI 1 RMI provided the proverbial banana skin for Conference leaders Rushden at Nene Park on Saturday, and in claiming a much deserved point, played their part in what is becoming an enthralling championship race.

With two fixtures against Yeovil Town still to come, Steve Waywell's men are of paramount importance in deciding which outfit will be playing Third Division football next term.

After beating Rushden in October at Hilton Park, Leigh started confidently in the hope of repeating the trick, Black and Jones going close early on.

However, as the half settled down, the hosts became gradually more composed and almost took the lead on 16 minutres, when Andy Burgess' inswinging cross deceived Dootson, and narrowly went to safety off the crossbar. Back came Leigh through a Dave Ridings effort, but it was the hosts who grabbed the initiative 12 minutes prior to the interval.

Much has been said of the Darby-Jackson strike partnership that has so far yielded 37 league goals this season, and missing the latter through suspension, Leigh might have been vindicated in thinking that half the defensive battle was won. Instead, this notion was dispelled when Darby's pinpoint cross found an unmarked Jean-Michel Sigere on the far post and he gratefully accepted the opportunity to record his seventh of the season.

Ironically, the biggest cheer of the day from the 3,882 present came courtesy of news that Yeovil had gone behind at Dover, but the situation soon changed in the second half when Black converted following Turley's parry from Dave German, who played excellently at left-back. Frustration started to creep into a Rushden side who collated six bookings in the final analysis, two of which signalled the end of Turkan Mustafa's contribution to the cause; penalised for two incidents of wrecklessness on Ian Monk.

Leigh's retribution could easily have spanned from the sustained pressure that they inflicted on Diamonds in the last 25 minutes, with Monk, Jones, German and Ridings all going close: the latter after a mazy run that seemed as bewildering to the defenders as it was to the huddles of frowning onlookers in the press box.

Had the hosts claimed all three points from the game than Chambers would have had to edit 'justice' from their next edition, and it very nearly came when Burgess' volley seemed destined for the bottom corner, only to be denied by Ged Kielty's astuteness on the line.

Leigh deserved their point thoroughly and more pleasing was the way in which they handled several fiery situations that could have turned nasty, not least in the final minute of stoppage time when Duane Darby chased Craig Dootson like a man possessed and was restrained by German.

RMI: Dootson, Spooner, German, Durkin, Farrell, Swan, Monk, Ridings, Kielty, Black, Jones. Subs not used: Gardner, Hayder, Murphy, Trees, O'Connor. Booked: Durkin (dissent) 34 mins. Attendance: 3,882. Referee: Mr.S.Coffey (Merseyside).